Of Punctuality
by Not Just A Reader - A Fangirl
Summary: Draco believes that being late is a good thing sometimes, and Hermione refuses to believe so. Then it all changes when they find out that Hermione is late in quite a different way. Entry to the April Twin Exchange Monthly Challenge! Bit of fluffy fluff fluff at the end. Oneshot. Enjoy, and review!


A/N: This is my entrance to the April Twin Exchange Monthly Challenge. This is probably my longest oneshot _ever_, like 3400 words. Whew! The plot was originally different, but plot bunnies.

Anyways, enjoy!

—

Of Punctuality

"You know, Granger, sometimes being punctual is a bad thing," Draco Malfoy muttered, half to himself, as he lounged on the bed. His girlfriend was busying herself getting ready for the party they were attending the next day. As it was Saturday tomorrow, the party was starting at twelve, according to the invitation. Hermione was picking out her clothes. The clock read twenty-seven past eleven. In the morning.

"You know that's not true, Malfoy," Hermione said from the walk-in closet. "I wonder how you still have enough belief in that statement to say it, considering your upbringing and Narcissa's education," she said, pulling out a black and midnight blue party dress from the rack. "I was sure she'd have pressed it perfectly into your tiny, narcissistic brain that being punctual is a good trait for anyone."

"Like I said, Granger," Draco countered, choosing to ignore the jab to his vanity, "sometimes it isn't a good thing. Especially not to this sort of party."

"Which brings me to my other point," Hermione said, considering her range of shoes. "I can find no explanation as to why being punctual to tomorrow's party is a bad thing."

"Are you kidding me?" Draco drawled, eyebrows raised at the witch. "You're expecting me to accept going to the Weasel twins' birthday party without thinking that it's a bad thing?"

Hermione glared at him. "_Weasley_ twins." Draco was unfazed. Hermione raised an eyebrow. "Look, if you're not going to get over that immature rivalry and start treating my friends with respect, I could very well…"

"You can't expect me to treat them with respect, Granger," Draco cut her off.

"At least get their names right," Hermione said. "I know your tiny brain can't take information as complicated as names and correctly apply it in real life situations, but do try, will you?"

Draco glared at his girlfriend.

"I'll have you remember that I graduated with marks second highest of anyone in your year," he said. Then he somewhat regretted it, because he could already hear the retort flitting through that ridiculous brain of hers.

"Second to me," Hermione countered with a smug smirk. "But I suppose it is in the Malfoy genes to hate the Weasleys," she added, rolling her eyes. "Anyway, back to what I was saying. I can see no reason why going to Fred and George's birthday party is a bad idea."

"I never said it was a bad idea."

"Yes, you did."

Draco scowled. So he did.

"So, since I, the brain of our relationship, cannot find sufficient rationale to validate this ridiculous belief of yours, do you have idea, bird brain?"

Draco glared at her again.

"Well - they would obviously be planning some prank on the arrivers, so if we come late, maybe they would have taken it down."

Hermione shook her head.

"Now I know why none of the debate teams accepted you."

"I never applied in the first place," Draco said, trying to sound indignant instead of bitter. His father _had_ heard about that, but nothing had been done. Dumbledore had refused to expel the team captains because "refusing Mr Malfoy's participation is not sufficient grounds for dismissal from the school."

"Uh-huh," Hermione nodded her head with eyes that told Draco she had not believed a word out of the seven in his sentence. She went back to her shoes. "Well, just this once, we're going to be on time, OK?"

"Just this once?" Draco drawled sarcastically.

He could almost feel the roll of her eyes from the bed.

"This time," she said, walking out of the closet with a pair of black heels.

"And every other time," he said, cutting her off again.

"We'll be on time," she continued as if he hadn't said anything. "The twins are my friends and I like to be a good friend to them by arriving on time to their party."

"No, you want to stay in their good books so they won't prank you," Draco corrected.

"Oh, that bargain was made a long time ago," Hermione smirked. An blonde eyebrow lifted elegantly.

"What was your end of the deal?"

"Well, we all enjoyed it, so it's more like a two for two bargain."

"What?"

Hermione smirked.

"Let's just say, it involved a lonely night, an empty flat, and an M-rated rom-com."

Draco's eyes narrowed.

"And when was this lonely night?"

Hermione smirk turned into something smug and…fond?

She walked over and patted him on the cheek.

"You're so cute when you're jealous."

"Aren't I always cute?" Draco asked, the previous topic almost forgotten. Almost.

Hermione rolled her eye.

"And the infamous vanity rears its head once again," she said, picking up her work clothes (laid out the night before) that was sitting on the little bench at the end on the bed, before walking to the bathroom.

Draco stood up and followed her, and as she reached the closed door, she realised he was doing so. She turned around and Draco used the opportunity to pin her against the door, his hands on either side of her.

"So," he whispered. "That bargain you made with the twins, and seem to be fooling me about, did it really happen?"

Hermione smirked once again, running his hands over his shoulders.

"Maybe, maybe not," she replied, her voice also low, her head cocking to the side. She wasn't meeting his eyes, and her lips were set in an enigmatic smile. Her hands ran down to his chest, getting him slightly distracted, but he was too experienced with this to be unable to handle it.

"Well, I shall have to punish you for that," he said back, his voice becoming husky.

"Oh, but what if I was only fooling you," she said, her eyes opening wide in a mocking play. But the mischievous sparkle in them told him it was the truth that was coming out of that delicious-looking mouth that he could never get enough of, despite having been together with her for over two years. "What if I never had that bargain at all?"

"Well then," he said, stepping closer to her so that their bodies were so close to touching but still too far apart. "I shall have to punish you for lying to me."

Hermione smirked.

"Punish away."

She was supposed to be at work by twelve-thirty that day.

She wanted to go anyway despite the fact that it was two when she finally had a chance.

She ended up not going at all.

—

Draco saw the green slime and bright pink feathers right before they smothered him.

"Granger," he muttered angrily. He should have realised the coat closet would be charmed to dump slime all over him from the top, and throw pink feathers at him from inside. It was one of the oldest tricks in the book, but they must have glamoured the bucket to be invisible.

But he was playing the gentleman, so he had to put away Hermione's coat. So now she was standing a way away, perfectly free of slime or feathers, trying to keep in her laughter. And he was surrounded by a fair amount of people, looking like a seasick flamingo.

A loud, boisterous crack pierced the air as the twin troublemakers, the creators behind this humiliation he was going through, appeared at his side. Draco couldn't help but notice how oddly matching their apparition noises were to them.

"Draco," one of them - George? - said jovially, not seeing the glare Draco sent his way, or ignoring it. He went to place his arm around Draco, but then acted as if he noticed the slime, and pulled his arm away. Then, smirking at the insistent glare that was shooting poisoned daggers at his face quicker than Voldemort could shoot off Cruciatus Curses, George pulled out his wand and cleaned Draco up with a simple flick.

"Now, Draco," he said, throwing an arm around Draco's shoulder.

"Fancy seeing you here," said Fred from his other side.

"Don't remember sending you an invitation."

"Don't remember 'Mione mentioning bringing you."

"Course, we knew she'd tag you along anyway…"

"But didn't think she'd be able to persuade you to come."

"Didn't think you'd be plucky enough to come…"

"And brave our pranks…"

"Which you knew would be coming…"

Draco glared at Hermione, who grinned sheepishly back.

"I told her I didn't want to come," he grumbled.

"Well, you're here now," Fred said. He pulled Draco from George's grip and started dragging him towards the main party room. "Have some fun."

Draco glanced bewilderedly back to Hermione. She just smiled pitifully (what?) at him and gave him a look that clearly said, _just roll with it_.

So Draco grudgingly let Fred and George drag him away, while from the corner of his eye he saw Hermione walk over to a group of girls at a table. He spied the bright redhead of the She-Weasel and something bright blonde among the heads.

"Draco," George pulled him back to attention. Draco realised he had been pulled to the refreshment table. "Have a drink," George said, offering him a glass of something bright pink.

Draco eyed the liquid dubiously.

"You really think I'm going to drink something you give me?"

"Draco!" Fred cried in mock hurt. "Do you really give us so little of your trust?"

"You can test it if you want," George said, his face a mask of seriousness. "Make sure we haven't done anything to it."

Draco raised an eyebrow but decided to give the twins the benefit of the doubt. He pulled out his wand and did a quick spell. When that revealed nothing suspicious within the liquid, he rolled his eyes at the smirking twins' faces, and took the drink.

"Now," Fred said, clapping his hands. "We should tend to other guests."

"So, enjoy your night!"

As the three parted ways, Draco never registered the triumphant grins on the twins' faces, or the discreet low-five they shared under the drinks table.

—

"Draco?" Hermione stepped out of the bathroom, wholly terrified.

Draco looked up, slightly surprised that she was using his first name. They've been dating for nearly 3 years, but they still used each other's last names out of habit.

"Yes?"

"I'm late."

Draco stared at his girlfriend, trying to comprehend exactly what she meant.

"You're…late."

"Yes, I'm late."

Draco bursted into laughter, which for some reason got Hermione to stare at him strangely.

"You, Hermione Granger, was late for an event? Oh, this is the best day of my life."

Hermione caught on, and glared at him.

"That's not what I meant," she ground out with her teeth clenched. Then her eyes softened as Draco's took on a confused glaze, and she walked over to sit on the bed. "Malfoy, I mean I'm _late_. I'm pregnant."

Draco stared at her again.

"What?"

"I…I don't know yet, I might be," Hermione stood up and started wringing her hand, suddenly flustered. "I haven't taken a test yet…I…I should take a test."

She abruptly turned around and walked back into the bathroom. Draco, still slightly dazed from her announcement, stood up and followed her.

"Wait, wait, wait," he said, watching her rummage through the cupboards. "You mean you might be pregnant?"

"Yes, Malfoy, I mean I might be pregnant," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"How did this happen?"

Hermione stopped her hunt through the cupboards and shot him a pointed look. When a few moments had passed with no response, and understanding that nothing was going to come out of his gaping mouth, Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Well, Malfoy, it's like this," she started. "When a man and a woman loves each other very much…"

"Merlin, woman, you know that's not what I meant," Draco snapped. "We've been using protection."

Hermione screwed her eyes together, trying to remember any instances that they had forgotten to use contraceptive methods while having sex. When did they have sex in the last month? Last night, but she remembered downing the last of the contraceptive potion (_which reminds me, gotta make more_, Hermione thought); at the beginning of the week; two weeks ago, that day before the twins' birthday, but she had taken a potion then. And after the twins' birthday party, because Draco had a sudden urge for some reason, but she had taken a potion then, too — oh.

"Draco," she said slowly, opening her eyes to look at him. His face was still in its shocked state. "Did you drink anything at Fred and George's party?"

His eyes told her he realised the complications of that action. Now it was his turn to try and remember. After a moment, he spoke up.

"Only one little cup," he said. "Something bright pink." Seeing Hermione's fearful face, he added, "But I checked. There was nothing in it, only alcohol."

Hermione's face screwed up in confusion, then thought. Then it hit her.

"Their lust potion," she exclaimed. "It's untraceable. That must be why you were so desperate that night. I'm going to kill those two." She glared at the ceiling as if it was its fault.

"I wasn't that lusty."

"No, I think they must have given you just a small dose."

"But didn't you take a contraceptive potion that night?" Draco asked. "I saw you."

"Yes, but the thing is," Hermione explained. "One of the…side effects…of the twins' potion is that it counteracts all methods of contraception."

"Isn't that a bad thing if they're trying to sell a lust potion?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "They're working on it."

"Isn't a lust potion illegal?"

"They're working on that, too."

"…So…"

"So, there is a rather large probability that I am pregnant."

"Well, you should do the test."

Draco walked out, sitting down on the bed again. Only now did it really hit him in the gut. He could be a daddy. He stood up and walked over to his desk, pulling the top drawer open and magicking the secret compartment to open. He took out the small box he had hidden there.

Rolling the little box around in his hand, he wondered if he should do this. He had been planning to for a while, but the time never seemed right. Now, with Hermione possibly pregnant…was this the right time? Draco considered it, and decided that yes, it felt right. They'd been dating for over two years, and suddenly he found that he didn't want to wait any longer. Even if this was just a pregnancy scare, he was going to do this.

Draco heard the bathroom door open. He hastily shoved the box into the back pocket of his jeans as he turned around. Fortunately, Hermione's back was still to him, as she was still closing the door, and she didn't see his hasty, guilty-looking spin.

Hermione turned around, and Draco noticed her hands were empty.

"Have you done the test?"

There was a short moment of silence before she answered.

"Yes."

"What did it say?"

An even longer moment of silence.

"Positive."

They stared at each other from across the room, him at his desk, she still at the bathroom door. His heart was pounding in his chest, so much that he was surprised she didn't hear it from where she was standing. It was time. Time to do it. He had to do it now.

"Hermione…"

Suddenly her eyes started to fill with tears. Draco's eyes went wide, terrified and hopelessly confused. He walked towards her and enveloped her in a hug.

"'Mione," he whispered, completely at a loss for what to say or what to do. "'Mione, love, what's wrong?"

"Don't "'Mione love" me," she said, throwing his arms off. Draco stared at her, utterly bewildered. Then she turned her gaze at him, eyes full of tears, and _vulnerable_, and that only made him even more confused. "You can, you know, if you want."

"What? Hermione, what are you going on about?"

"You know what I'm talking about," Hermione said. "Go on, say it," her voice was soft.

"Say what, Hermione? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Of course you do. It's what every guy does when he's in a situation like this!"

Wait, she knew he was proposing? Then why is she reacting like that? She's upset and yelling at him and crying. Unless she doesn't want him to propose. That thought hit him like a punch to the stomach. She didn't want to marry him? Even when she's pregnant?

"Draco?" Hermione voice, pleading, pulled him back. "Say something, please?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"What you want to say."

What he wanted to say? What did he want to say? He wanted to ask her why she doesn't want him to propose, why she doesn't want to marry him. He wanted to propose anyway, even if he's going to be rejected, which is going to hurt a hell of a lot.

"Don't you want to marry me?"

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

"Of course I want to marry you!"

"Then why are you reacting like this?"

"Like what?"

"Like you don't want me to propose!"

"Of course I want you to propose!"

"Then why are you so upset?"

"Because you're not going to propose!"

"What? What do you mean, I'm not going to propose?"

"I mean you're not going to propose!"

"What makes you think I'm not going to propose?"

"Because that's what all guys do when their girlfriend is pregnant! They ditch them and leave them to take care of the baby and offers no help whatsoever— Wait, what?"

Draco was staring at her (again), his eyes now bewildered with understanding.

"You thought I was going to leave you?"

"Are you proposing?"

"Answer my question."

"I…I…yeah."

"Is that why you were so upset?"

"Y…yes."

Draco sighed and pulled her into a hug.

"Honestly, woman, sometimes the inner workings of your mind scare me. Of course I'm not going to leave you," he said softly, tucking her into his body. "What made you think I will?"

"Well, I've heard of girls going through that situation," she sniffled, her arms clutched tight around his waist. "And just last month Cormac McLaggen left Lavender, so I thought…"

"You really think I was going to be like McLaggen?" Draco said. "Hermione, I have no intention of leaving you." He pulled back, looking into her eyes. "I was thinking that you didn't want to marry me. I thought that you meant guys always proposed, and you seemed so upset at the idea that I thought you didn't want me to."

Hermione looked up at him, and Draco couldn't help but wipe her tearstained cheeks.

"That makes no sense."

Draco chuckled.

"There's my 'Mione," he said.

"You were really scared that I don't want to marry you?"

"Yeah," he replied. "And it hit me hard. I don't know why…I guess it's because I love you."

Hermione smiled up at him cheekily.

"When did the great Draco Malfoy become sappy and cheesy?"

Draco sighed towards the heavens.

"You can't indulge me for one moment, can you?"

Hermione giggled and leaned into his warm body again.

"I love you, too."

There was a comfortable silence before Hermione spoke up again.

"Draco?"

"Yes, love?"

"Weren't you going to propose?"

"Oh! Right," he said, pulling away and unwrapping her arms from him. Then he pulled out the little black velvet box from his back pocket and got down on one knee, watching her with joy as she gasped through a hand. "Hermione, we've been dating for nearly three years, and Merlin knows how many times I've wanted to do this recently, and once I found out you were pregnant, I realised that I can't wait any longer - and not because I'm supposed to make an honest woman out of you, either."

"Will you get on with it?" Her hand had joined its counterpart on either side of her hips.

Draco smiled. He flipped open the box, taking in her delighted gasp again.

"Hermione Jane Granger, will you do me the honour of becoming my Mrs Malfoy?"

"Yes!"

The ring didn't even have time to get comfortable on her finger before she threw herself at him, kissing every part of his face that she could reach. Draco laughed and caught her lips in his. The engaged couple then proceeded to engage in some, er, let's say, celebratory bedroom activities.

Afterwards, Hermione realised something. Maybe being late _was_ a good thing sometimes.

—

**A/N: Sooo? How was it? Good? Great? Awesome? Spectacular? Supercalifragilisticexpialodocious? I so totally just went on my spelling instincts there ****'****cause I have no idea how to spell it, LOL. **

**So, if you really really really liked it, or just really really liked it, or even if you just really liked it, please vote for me at the Twin Exchange Monthly Challenge page in the Twin Exchange forum. The poll will come up in about 8-9 days time! Also, review!**

**Thankies, lovelies.**

**Baaaiii!**


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